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Bulletins

Standards Leading to Teacher Certification

Introduction

Students seeking to enter the Teacher Education program at Central Michigan University are screened using multiple criteria related to teacher excellence and the CLEAR model for teacher education. The selection criteria assess characteristics appropriate for students pursuing a professional teaching practice that is Content–or knowledge–driven, LEArner-centered and Reflective/Relevant to the multiple roles and contexts of the professional educator. Once a student is admitted, cognitive and affective skills are both developed and monitored throughout the teacher education experience, which stresses faculty mentoring of all prospective teachers.

Excellent teachers demonstrate an interest in students, an ability to relate to and communicate with diverse students in varied ways, as well as the ability to motivate and facilitate learning. Teacher candidates at CMU must be learner-centered and able to communicate both in writing and in face-to-face interactions with spontaneity and clarity. In addition, students must demonstrate the professional dispositions appropriate to the field of teaching in order to be recommended for certification. Such dispositions include values, commitments, and professional ethics that influence behaviors toward students, families, colleagues, and all members of the learning community and affect student learning, motivation, and development as well as the educator’s own professional growth and development. Only qualified candidates will be recommended for certification. It is important to note any legal charge or conviction may impede a student’s ability to progress through or be admitted to the teacher education program.

Three Tiers of Candidacy

Tier 1 Pre-Admission of Candidacy to Teacher Education

Students earning an Elementary or Secondary Standard Certificate must submit an application to teacher education. The application and the Tier 1 :Pre-Admission of Candidacy can be found on the CEHS Center for Student Services website (www.ehs.cmich.edu/css) and the requirements of the Michigan Department of Education. Admission to the Tiers occurs twice a year, once in September and once in February. Elementary Education students must be admitted into Tier 1 to begin their Professional Education Sequence Courses. Secondary Education students must complete Tier 1 but will not begin their Professional Education Sequence Courses until after Tier 2: Admission of Candidacy is completed. Any changes mandated by the Michigan Department Education may become effective at any time during a student’s program.

Tier 2: Admission of Candidacy to Teacher Education

Elementary and Secondary teacher education students must complete all of the requirements for Tier 2 before beginning their next set of Professional Education Sequence courses. All of the requirements and Professional Education Sequence courses can be found on the CEHS Center for Student Services website. After admission to Tier 2 students take their Pre-Student Teaching courses, complete field experiences and take methods courses.

Tier 3: Full Admission of Candidacy to Teacher Education

Tier 3 has been established to verify a candidate’s ongoing growth and development in the CMU Teacher Education program. Requirements for Tier 3 can be found on the Center for Student Services website. These must be fulfilled to continue to student teaching. The requirements include, but are not limited to items such as successful completion of pre-student teaching, departmental approvals of all major and or minors and successful completion of all Professional Education coursework.

Exit of Candidacy

On successful completion of the CMU Teacher Education program a student will move on to graduation and then be recommended for Michigan certification. For details on certification requirements consult the Center for Student Services website (www.ehs.cmich.edu/css).

Conflict Resolution and Appeal Procedure

  1. A student who has a complaint regarding teacher certification decisions should make known his or her complaint as soon as possible, but in no case later than thirty days after the end of the semester. Any exception to the time limitation shall be for unusual and most compelling reasons. At each step of the process, the student will be given the opportunity to present relevant information, and the reasons for the decision will be explained to the student.
  2. A student who feels that arbitrary and/or capricious decisions have been made in evaluating admission, or continuing requirements for the teacher education program, or in the recommendation for certification, should meet with the Assistant Director of Professional Education. (CEHS 421 The Center for Student Services)
  3. If the student is still not satisfied, he or she may request in writing a consultation with the Director of Professional Education. In the absence of the Director of Professional Education, the student’s request in writing should be sent to the Dean of the College of Education and Human Services. In such cases, the Dean shall act in place of the Director.
  4. If the student is not satisfied with the decision of the Director of Professional Education, the student may submit an appeal in writing to the Professional Education Selection, Admission and Retention Committee. The Professional Education Selection, Admission and Retention Committee has the authority to overrule decisions made by the Director of Professional Education regarding admission or continuing requirements for the teacher education program or in the recommendation for certification. Appeal decisions made by the Professional Education Selection, Admission and Retention Committee are final.

Teacher Certification

For this process, please contact the Assistant Director of Professional Education in CEHS 421.

Postbaccalaureate Students

A postbaccalaureate student is defined as a student with a non-teaching bachelor’s degree from a four-year regionally accredited institution who is seeking teacher certification, a student with a teaching degree who is seeking teacher certification and/or endorsement in an additional area, or a student with a teaching degree who is seeking standard or professional certification and/or endorsement in an additional area.

Standard Teacher Certification for non-degree seeking Postbaccalaureate Students

  1. Postbaccalaureate students must follow the “Standards Leading to Teacher Certification” as published in the Bulletin and meet Michigan Department of Education requirements.
  2. Postbaccalaureate students must have majors and/or minors signed by a department advisor in the department offering the major or minor. The request for the declared major/minor will be initiated by the staff in the EHS Center for Student Services (989-774-3309). Certification will be recommended for those teaching areas in which CMU presently offers a major or minor. Course substitutions may be approved only by the department advisor.
  3. Postbaccalaureate students must complete all Professional Education courses and other degree/certification requirements for either elementary or secondary students as published in the Bulletin.
  4. The Teacher Education and Professional Development Department (TEPD) will submit a list of the names of all students applying for student teaching the following semester to each student’s major and minor department for approval or denial.
  5. The EHS Center for Student Services will audit the BSEd degree of all students to certify that candidates have met all the requirements before confirming them for certification.

Validity of a Standard Teaching Certificate

A current Elementary Standard Teaching Certificate is valid for teaching all subjects in grades kindergarten through five, and major and minor fields in grades six through eight (upon completion of the required subject area tests) as specified on the certificate and kindergarten through eight in a self-contained classroom. It is valid for five years and may be renewed continuously with each renewal being valid for an additional five years provided the applicant completes the Standard Teaching Certificate Renewal Requirements as described below.

A current Secondary Standard Certificate is valid in subject matter fields in grades six through twelve in which the applicant has completed a major(s) or minor(s) as specified on the certificate. It is valid for five years and may be renewed continuously with each renewal being valid for an additional five years provided the applicant completes the Standard Teaching Certificate Renewal Requirements as described below.

Requirements for a Standard Teaching Certificate Renewal

The Standard Teaching Certificate Renewal is valid for five years and can be continuously renewed at the end of the five year period for an additional five years to a candidate who has met the following requirements:

  1. Has submitted the appropriate application through www.michigan.gov/moecs.
  2. Has presented evidence that he/she has completed one of the following options since the issuance of their most recent Standard Teaching Certificate or Standard Teaching Certificate Renewal:
    1. Six semester hours of credit appropriate to the content and grade level of the certificate and endorsement areas at an approved educator preparation institution.
    2. Six semester hours of credit in a planned course of study at an approved educator preparation institution.
    3. 150 Michigan State Continuing Education Clock Hours (SCECHS) or District Provided Professional Development (DPPD) Hours appropriate to the content and grade level of the certificate and endorsement areas.

Requirements for a Professional Teaching Certificate

The Professional Teaching Certificate is valid for five years and can be continuously renewed at the end of the five year period for an additional five years to a candidate who has met the following requirements:

  1. Has submitted the appropriate application through www.michigan.gov/moecs.
  2. Has taught successfully for three years according to the validity of his or her Standard Teaching Certificate.
  3. Elementary applicants for the Professional Teaching Certificate must have completed six semester hours of credit at an approved educator preparation institution of reading methods coursework, and secondary applicants must have completed three semester credit hours of reading methods coursework at an approved educator preparation institution.
  4. Has completed three semester hours of credit in reading diagnostics and remediation coursework, which includes a field experience. Beginning July 1, 2009 all teachers progressing from a Standard Teaching Certificate to the Professional Teaching Certificate must have completed three semester hours of credit in reading diagnostics and remediation coursework in accordance with Michigan Revised School Code MCL 380.1531 (4). At this time, Central Michigan University has established EDU 603 (Elementary Diagnosis, Remediation, and Differentiation of Reading Instruction) and EDU 606 (Secondary Diagnosis, Remediation, and Differentiation of Reading Instruction) to meet this requirement.
  5. Has presented evidence that he/she has completed one of the following options since the issuance of their most recent Standard Teaching Certificate or Standard Teaching Certificate Renewal:
    1. Six semester hours of credit appropriate to the content and grade level of the certificate and endorsement areas at an approved educator preparation institution.
    2. Six semester hours of credit in a planned course of study at an approved educator preparation institution.
    3. 150 Michigan State Continuing Education Clock Hours (SCECHS) or District Provided Professional Development (DPPD) Hours appropriate to the content and grade level of the certificate and endorsement areas.

Requirements for a Professional Teaching Certificate Renewal

A Professional Teaching Certificate Renewal is valid for five years and can be renewed at the end of the five year period for an additional five years upon the applicant’s completion of the following requirements:

  1. Has submitted the appropriate application through www.michigan.gov/moecs.
  2. Has presented evidence that he/she has completed one of the following options since the issuance of their most recent Professional Teaching Certificate or Professional Teaching Certificate Renewal:
    1. Six semester hours of credit appropriate to the content and grade level of the certificate and endorsement areas at an approved educator preparation institution.
    2. Six semester hours of credit in a planned course of study at an approved educator preparation institution.
    3. 150 Michigan State Continuing Education Clock Hours (SCECHS) or District Provided Professional Development (DPPD) Hours appropriate to the content and grade level of the certificate and endorsement areas.

Procedures for the Standard Teaching Certificate Renewal

The candidate shall:

  1. Apply for a Standard Teaching Certificate Renewal through www.michigan.gov/moecs when the last of the requirements have been met.
  2. Submit a planned program of study beyond the bachelor’s degree through www.michigan.gov/moecs (when applicable). If the candidate has been admitted to a master’s degree program, he/she may submit a copy of the Authorization of Graduate Degree Program, signed by the advisor. If the candidate has been admitted to an additional endorsement program, he/she may submit a copy of the endorsement evaluation, signed by the advisor.
  3. Submit evidence of the equivalent in State Continuing Education Clock Hours (SCECHS) or District Provided Professional Development (DPPD) Hours (when applicable).
  4. Send official transcripts directly to the Michigan Department of Education at www.michigan.gov/moecs.

Procedures for the Professional Teaching Certificate

The candidate shall:

  1. Apply for a Professional Teaching Certificate through www.michigan.gov/moecs when the last of the requirements have been met.
  2. Submit a planned program of study beyond the bachelor’s degree to www.michigan.gov/moecs (when applicable). If the candidate has been admitted to a master’s degree program, he/she may submit a copy of the Authorization of Graduate Degree Program, signed by the advisor. If the candidate has been admitted to an additional endorsement program, he/she may submit a copy of the endorsement evaluation, signed by the advisor.
  3. Submit evidence of the equivalent in State Continuing Education Clock Hours (SCECHS) or District Provided Professional Development (DPPD) Hours (when applicable).
  4. Send official transcripts directly to the Michigan Department of Education at www.michigan.gov/moecs.
  5. Submit a completed Work Experience Verification Form, which can be found at http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/WorkExperienceForm_2012_386545_7.pdf, to www.michigan.gov/moecs.

Procedures for the Professional Teaching Certificate Renewal

The candidate shall:

  1. Apply for a Professional Teaching Certificate Renewal through www.michigan.gov/moecs when the last of the requirements have been met.
  2. Submit a planned program of study beyond the bachelor’s degree through www.michigan.gov/moecs (when applicable). If the candidate has been admitted to a master’s degree program, he/she may submit a copy of the Authorization of Graduate Degree Program, signed by the advisor. If the candidate has been admitted to an additional endorsement program, he/she may submit a copy of the endorsement evaluation, signed by the advisor.
  3. Submit evidence of the equivalent in State Continuing Education Clock Hours (SCECHS) or District Provided Professional Development (DPPD) Hours (when applicable).
  4. Send official transcripts directly to the Michigan Department of Education at www.michigan.gov/moecs.

Certificate Fee

Public Act 339 of 1988 requires the collection of a certification fee paid when billed by the Michigan Department of Education.